7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Book Review)

According to Stephen Covey, the unique trait that we, people, are separated from animals is the ability to think about our very thought process or what we call, “self-awareness”. In the social mirror, it was stated that seeing our own selves is like facing the crazy mirror room in the carnival. Our reactions are based on the opinions, perceptions, and the paradigm of others about us. But self-awareness enables us to stand apart and examine even the way we “see” ourselves – our self-paradigm, the most fundamental paradigm of effectiveness. It affects not only our attitudes and behavior, but also how we see other people. There are three social maps or three theories of determinism widely accepted, independently or in combination that Stephen Covey mentioned which explains the nature of man. First is the Genetic determinism which says that our nature is coded into our DNA, and that our personality traits are inherited from our grandparents. Next one is Psychic determinism that says that our upbringing determines our personal tendencies, and that emotional pain that we felt at a young age is remembered and affects the way we behave today. And lastly, Environmental determinism which states that factors in our present environment is responsible for our situation, such as relatives, our economic situation, or national policies. These three theories can determine the particular way of response to a particular stimulus. Viktor Frankl’s story was used to further discuss the relationship between stimulus and response. Frankl was a determinist raised in the tradition of Freudian psychology, which postulates that whatever happens to you as a child shapes your character and personality and basically governs your whole life. Frankl was also a Jewish Psychiatrist who survived the death camps of Nazi Germany. He experienced things that were so repugnant to our sense of decency that we shudder to even repeat. But in the midst of the most degrading circumstances imaginable, Frankl used the human endowment of self-awareness to realize that in the middle of response-stimulus model, humans have the freedom to choose. By that he became inspiration, not only to his other captives but also to everyone who knew his story. In addition to self-awareness, we have imagination or the ability to create in our minds beyond present reality. We have conscience or a deep inner awareness of right and wrong, of the principles that govern our behavior, and a sense of degree to which our thoughts and actions are in harmony with them. And we have independent will or the ability to act based on our self-awareness, free of all other influences. Animals don’t have that independent will or any of these human endowments. But we do. They are described as computer programs; they can’t response to the program they are programmed for because they are not even aware with that program. But we can. We have the power and the freedom to write new programs for ourselves totally apart from our instincts and training. We just have to take the responsibility. That’s when the first habit was introduced. The first habit of a highly effective people is proactivity. Proactivity is more than merely taking initiative or some people described as being pushy, obnoxious, or aggressive but taking the responsibility for our own lives. We always have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen, from the word itself “response-ability” or the ability to choose our response. In human nature it was stated that there are two kinds of people, the proactive people and the reactive people. By nature, we, people, are really proactive. But in making choices, we became reactive. Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and their performance. They find external sources to blame for their behavior. But proactive people are not. They don’t care if the weather is...

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...The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople
By Stephen R. Covey
Running Press Editions, 1989, 95 pages, $5.95 hardcover, ISBN 0762408332
Reviewed by Sehrish Pesnani
Stephen R. Covey is vice chairman of Franklin Covey Co. And teaches principle-centred living and leadership. Covey is also the founder and former CEO of Covey leadership centre.
Covey’s seven habits describe a way of thinking, living and doing that is consistent with these principles. The habits take considerable commitment to achieve. We first have to break old habits and adopt new ones.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
This habit is about taking control of our lives and the ability to control our environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Furthermore, self determination, choice, and the power, help to decide the response to stimulus conditions and circumstances. Lastly, you must use your resourcefulness and your initiative to work toward your personal goals and not see yourself as a passive victim in other's games.
Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind
Covey calls the second of the seven habits; the habit of personal leadership - leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. It is about having clear goals, based upon principles and what we want to be. By developing the...

...office, filling teacher supply orders, student transportation and other duties as assigned by the administrators.
In “The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople”, Stephen Covey explains that you don’t have to be a genius to apply these principles of 7habits, but you will have to possess balanced dimensions of nature: physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional. The first three habits focus on moving from dependence to independence while habits 4, 5 and 6 address interdependence. The seventh habit is considered to be the most important habit because it deals with the upkeep of you. You must consistently sharpen your saw.
Habit 1 – Be Proactive
Covey tells us how we should be taking more initiative and control of our lives. We are the only ones that have control over our lives. We need to take control of ourselves and realize that we can shape our thoughts. By being proactive we are not as prone to have our environment shape the way we think or feel. Non-proactive people tend to be emotional butterflies: when people treat them well, they feel well; when people don t, they become defensive or protective and allow the weaknesses of people to control them.
People who are proactive take more initiative then their counterparts...

...BookReview on the 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople
The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople was written by Dr Stephen R Covey who was born in 1932. The book was first published by Simon &amp; Schuster in 1989 and has sold around 15 million copies word-wide. The seven principles he presents in the 7Habits are not original thoughts - he does not claim to have originated the ideas but simply to have found a framework and a language for articulating the time-less principles embedded into the seven habits.
Part 1- PARADIGMS AND PRINCIPLES
Inside Out discussed about the Paradigm shift where Covey used several examples, the classic one is the old woman/young woman picture which tells us that what we say about it depends on how we see it. In my own perspective this means that my behavior should depend on a paradigm of the world which is centered on unchanging principles instead of what happens in my surroundings, the economy, or even the trends in the society. This also discussed that the actual problem is that we look at problems as a problem when it could be something else such as an opportunity.
Part 2- PRIVATE VICTORY
HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE. I have learned in this habit that I should be taking responsibility...

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The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople
The author of The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople, Stephen R. Covey presents a comprehensive and fundamental approach for solving personal and professional problems. Covey points out observations and real life scenarios in which makes the reader open their eyes and actually think about what if they were put in a difficult situation. He reveals a step-by-step pathway in order for us to adapt to changes in a world with honesty and morality to take advantage of the open opportunities that change creates.
Habit 1: Be Proactive- The most important thing that we as humans have is that we have the ability to think. We have the ability to choose our thoughts and control our minds. We have the capability to be able to control our moods, feelings, and thoughts and by doing this we are able to control our circumstances and conditions. As we may already know, proactive means taking initiative. According to Corey, we should become proactive in order for us to take full responsibility of our life. We make things happen when we take action. Also Corey discussed how there are two types obstacles we face in our life. The first one is that there are problems that you can do something about it in order to reduce it or eliminate that problem and then there are the problems that we have no...

...The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople
B. Effectiveness is defined as the basis of a person’s character, creating an empowering center of correct maps from which an individual can effectively solve problems, maximize opportunity, continually learn and integrate principles in an upward growth.
The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople
by Stephen Covey
1. Being Proactive
Proactivity means taking initiative, as a human being, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. Highly proactive people recognize responsibility. “Response-ability” means the ability to choose your response. In making such a choice, we become reactive. Reactive people are affected by their physical and social environment, the ‘social weather’. Proactive people are influenced by external stimuli, whether physical, social or psychological.
2. Begin with the End in Mind
“Begin with the end in mind” is to begin today with the image, picture or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference or the criterion by which everything else is examined. It means to start with clear understanding of your destination. It also means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now so you can go to a right...

...7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeopleBook Summary
Before going into the actual 7habits, the author Steve Covey goes into few important concepts.
Character Ethic (good)
There are basic principles of effective living and people can only experience true success and enduring happines as they learn and integrate these principles into their basic character.
Personality Ethic (not so good)
It is manipulative, deceptive, encouraging people to use techniques to get other people to like them. Personality ethic is illusory and deceptive and trying to get high quality results with its techniques and quick fixes – not effective at all.
Paradigm
The book talks a lot about paradigm shifts and I remember having to look it up in the dictionary to find the true meaning of it; paradigm meaning: model, theory, perception, assumption, the way we see world.
Conditioning affects our perceptions/paradigms (old/young lady drawing example in the book worth checking out). We see the world not as it is but as ‘we are’ through our paradigms. Different people can have different views and still both be correct. The more aware we are of our basic paradigms the more we can examine/test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions getting a larger...

...THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLYEFFECTIVEPEOPLEHabit 4 -- Think Win/Win
Principles of Interpersonal Leadership
Six Paradigms of Human Interaction
 Win/Win
 Lose/Lose
 Win/Lose
 Win
 Lose/Win
 Win/Win or No Deal
Win/Win
 Agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial
 A belief in the Third Alternative -- a better way
Win/Lose
 Use of position, power, credentials, possessions or personality to get one's way.
 The win/lose mentality is dysfunctional to interdependence.
Lose/Win
 Lose/Win people are quick to please or appease.
 Capitulation -- giving in or giving up.
Note. Many executives, managers and parents oscillate between Win/Lose and Lose/WIN.
Lose/Lose
 Result of encounters between two Win/Lose individuals.
 Also the philosophy of highly dependent people.
Win
 Win at all costs. Other people don't matter.
 The most common approach in everyday negotiation.
Which Option is Best?
 Most situations are part of an interdependent reality.
 Win/Win solutions are synergistic.
Win/Win or No Deal
 If we can't find a solution that would benefit both parties, we agree to disagree.
 Most realistic at the beginning of a relationship or enterprise.
Five Dimensions of Win/Win
 Character. The foundation of Win/Win
o Integrity. The value we place on ourselves.
o Maturity. The balance...

...Introduction.
Stephen R. Covey discusses powerful lessons in personal change in his book The 7Habits of HighlyEffectivePeople. This final paper will illustrate and explain the seven habits of highlyeffectivepeople, discuss and rate how each of the seven habits are useful to me as a salesperson and in general life, evaluate past and current mission statements, assess the material of the book, and show a developed plan for change and renewal of the seven habits. The stated objectives will be outlined in this paper through separate headings and subheadings to demonstrate a business style outline as well as clearly and succinctly address each issue separately.
Seven Habits.
Covey defines a habit as the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge is what he calls the ‘what to do’, skill is the ‘how to do’, and desire is the ‘want to do’. In order to make a habit in our lives, we have to have all three.
Habit 1: Be Proactive.
The first step in becoming a successful and effective person is to be proactive in life. As human beings we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions, and we have the responsibility to make things happen. It is important...